Tool Time: Create PDF Files with PrimoPDF

I'm a fan of free utilities, so I found ActivePDF's PrimoPDF to be very cool. It lets you create PDF files from more than 300 types of files, including text files, graphic files (e.g., .bmp, .jpg, .tif), and Microsoft Office files (e.g., .doc, .ppt, .xls). It runs on Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

To get PrimoPDF, go to the PrimoPDF website and click the download link. No registration is required. It downloads the utility from CNET Download.com, so it has been checked for malicious programs.

To install PrimoPDF, launch the installer, accept the licensing agreement, and click Next when prompted. If you don't already have the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, you'll need to install it from the Microsoft Download Center or let the PrimoPDF installer download it for you.

PrimoPDF installs as a printer on your computer, so when you want to create a PDF file, you just select PrimoPDF as your printer. In the dialog box that appears, you'll have a choice of five settings for the PDF file: Screen (optimized for onscreen viewing), Print (optimized for printing), eBook (optimized for the web), Prepress (optimized for high-quality printing), and Custom (you provide the settings). After you enter a filename and browse to the location where you want to save the file, click Save, then Create PDF.

PrimoPDF offers a few other features you can use when you're creating a PDF file, such as the ability to secure PDF files with passwords and add document information (e.g., title, keywords). You can also combine PDF files after they're generated.

I recommend PrimoPDF to anyone who wants a free solution for creating PDF files. It works as simple as a printer and has some nice features.

Discuss this Article 4

That's useful information to know. I've been using PrimoPDF with Vista with no problems, but I'm a local admin so that's probably why.
It would be great if you could submit a short write-up about Bullzip PDF for the Tool Time column. All you need to do is include a short description of what it does, where to download it, and how to use its main features. If your write-up is selected for publication, it would get printed in the "Tool Time" column in the Reader to Reader" section of Windows IT Pro and you'd get $100. You can email the "Tool Time" write-up to kbemowski@windowsitpro.com or r2r@windowsitpro.com.
If you want to see other examples of "Tool Time" write-ups, check out "Tool Time: Test Connectivity to Remote Email Servers with TestMX" (http://windowsitpro.com/Windows/article/articleid/100732/100732.html) or "Tool Time: Copy Many Pathnames at Once With Path Copy" (http://windowsitpro.com/Windows/article/articleid/100962/100962.html).
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Karen Bemowski, senior editor
Windows IT Pro, SQL Server Magazine

I'm assuming the author just took the fact that the Primo website says it works with Vista for granted.
Look at the forums and you will see this is not true. PrimoPDF was never written properly to deal with the user not being a local Admin (even under XP), so it fails to run properly with Vista. The company's suggestion is to turn off UAC. That might be acceptable for some people, but that seems like overkill when there are plenty of other free PDF creation tools that work reliably under Vista without compromising security.
I have been using Bullzip PDF with Vista and it works well. Primo is a great choice if you are a local Admin using XP, otherwise you should probably look elsewhere.